Although Blumhouse’s Night Swim wasn’t a complete box office flop, its critical failure proves that it should have borrowed ideas from two Steven Spielberg movies. The best Blumhouse villains have contributed to the company’s reputation as one of the leading horror-based production companies, and Blumhouse is also notable for the creative premises behind many of their movies. With the story for Megan 2.0 in development, Blumhouse is demonstrating its ability to maintain its standing as one of the best modern horror companies of its era.
Some of Blumhouse’s highest-grossing movies have contributed to the horror genre by exploring themes not commonly seen in horror movies of the past, such as race relations and political unrest in the United States. Although some movies under Blumhouse’s production banner are far more successful than others, they all offer something distinct to the genre that only contributes to its legacy. Though Bryce McGuire’s Night Swim only ended up making $53 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo), it can’t be denied that the premise was quite compelling. A horror movie featuring a haunted swimming pool had promise, but it seems like the movie should have taken notes from some of Spielberg’s classics.
Blumhouse’s Night Swim failed to live up to the expectations set by its trailer, and with the obvious homages to Jaws and Poltergeist, it begs the question of why the filmmaker didn’t lean more heavily into Night Swim‘s blend of the two Spielberg classics. Although Night Swim‘s moody atmosphere and unique swimming pool setting help give it a visual flair rarely seen in horror movies, the movie’s highlights ultimately end there, as the rest of the narrative relies too heavily on tired horror movie clichés that sadly drown it out in the already oversaturated horror movie market.
Furthermore, the characters in Night Swim aren’t particularly memorable, and the movie’s attempts at humor fall flat, which further highlights where the movie could have improved. Jaws and Poltergeist are regarded as classics by critics and most horror movie audiences because of their ability to genuinely terrify viewers despite their otherwise mundane settings. Night Swim would have benefited from combining Jaws‘ ability to create tension and claustrophobia with Poltergeist‘s outright horrifying aesthetic and special effects. The decision would have resulted in a more memorable movie, and it would have been the perfect way to pay homage to the classics.
Director Bryce McGuire cited Jaws as an influence on Night Swim, and the film’s setting, combined with its exploration of a horrifying entity terrorizing a large body of water, reinforces one of his greatest influences. Although most of the horror in Jaws occurs during the day and Night Swim‘s horrifying moments happen during the nighttime, both movies examine an oft-disregarded fear of the ocean in unique and interesting ways. Despite Night Swim‘s poor critical reception, the creative cinematography and set design are both clearly inspired by Jaws, and they remain some of the movie’s greatest strengths.
Regarding the Poltergeist influence on Night Swim, both movies follow a similar story structure that sees an optimistic family unknowingly move into a new home that is haunted by demonic forces. Although Poltergeist‘s primary setting is the Freeling home and Night Swim‘s is the Waller’s swimming pool, both families undergo a series of demonic and unfortunate events. While the decision for Night Swim to follow a similar structure as Jaws and Poltergeist could have worked, it doesn’t go beyond being aesthetically similar. However, one major change could have improved Night Swim significantly.
Night Swim‘s dramatic tone is arguably its greatest weakness, and a shift to a more camp-friendly vibe could have improved its critical reception significantly. The overtly dramatic and serious tone worked for Jaws and Poltergeist because of the time they were made. As demonstrated by more contemporary horror movies like Megan, Get Out, Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, and Ready or Not, horror and comedy go well together when an equal level of care is given to both genres. While Night Swim‘s premise of a haunted or demonic swimming pool sounds ridiculous, it could have worked with the right approach.
What makes things even worse for Night Swim is that the movie dabbles in comedy, chiefly demonstrated by Wyatt Russell’s Ray Waller, but it never really goes all the way. Instead, audiences are treated to generic dialogue from its younger cast that is supposed to be sharp or funny but instead falls flat and bogs the movie down. Making Night Swim a horror-comedy would have been a fresh and much-appreciated approach to the otherwise overly serious genre. Instead, audiences are given a movie that already has a demanding premise and, despite not being a complete failure, isn’t one of Blumhouse’s best.
Source: Box Office Mojo